Page 41 of Their Burning Graves
She shrugged. ‘You’ll think I’m crazy if I tell you.’
The waitress brought Natalie’s large cappuccino over, placing it on the table, and Natalie thanked her, picked up the spoon and began to stir it.
‘I wouldn’t, if you knew half of the stuff I’ve been through, you’d have me certified insane and carted away. I’ve seen an awful lot of things that can’t be explained and even more that can.’
Natalie looked at Annie properly. ‘You’re psychic, is that why all of this?’ She waved her hands in the direction of the shop, the prints on the wall, the crystals and plants.
Annie laughed. ‘I am a bit sensitive to things others can’t see, but in all honesty I lovedPractical Magic,the book and the movie, so much I thought it would be a cool idea to open a café based on it.’
Natalie smiled. ‘It is cool, that’s why I love it in here.’
‘So what’s wrong with your house?’
Natalie picked up her coffee, taking small sips.
‘I don’t know for sure and please don’t laugh at me, but I think it’s haunted.’
If Annie had felt a cold chill earlier, it was nothing compared to the arctic blast that washed over her as every single nerve ending in her body stood on end.
‘See, you think I’m mad, your expression says it all.’
‘No, I don’t, not at all. Please tell me about your house.’
‘It’s stupid really, I just hear things and it always feels as if there is someone there who I can’t see. It feels as if I’m being watched, but in reality, who would want to watch me? It must be a ghost and they must be really bored to be hanging around watching my boring life.’
‘It’s not stupid, have you checked to make sure no one is in your house watching you?’
‘Oh yes, we have a fancy alarm system and there are cameras outside of it. I always check all the rooms but there’s never anyone there.’
Annie was struck by the similarities between Natalie and Sally. ‘I could come to your house and check it out for you, if you like, see if there’s anything there that shouldn’t be?’ Looking back, she wished she’d offered to do that for Sally when she came to see her.
‘You could? That would be amazing, I’d pay you for your time of course.’
Annie shook her head. ‘You help keep this café afloat with your valued custom, it’s the least I can do.’
Natalie laughed. ‘It’s not my fault, I’m addicted to that peppermint slice. No one makes it like that and believe me I’ve tried every café and bakery in a fifty-mile radius.’
Opening her bag, she took out a notebook, scribbled down her address then phone number and tore the page out, handing it to Annie. ‘I can’t tell you how much it would mean to me. When is the best time for you?’
‘Today when I’ve closed the café? Around five, my husband is off work, so I don’t need to worry about childcare.’
‘Perfect, thank you, Annie. I feel better already, phew it’s helped telling someone who didn’t laugh at me.’
Annie stood up. ‘I’ll see you later. Would it be okay to bring a friend with me?’
‘As long as she’s not going to tell the whole world Natalie White is stark raving mad.’
‘She wouldn’t say a word, I promise.’
Leaving her to drink her coffee, Annie walked into the office, and closing the door behind her she sat down at the compact desk and picked up the phone, and dialled 101 to get through to the Cumbria Constabulary. She needed to speak to Morgan before something terrible happened to Natalie White. She was certain that there was something hovering on the horizon that she couldn’t see yet, and if they didn’t stop it she wouldn’t be able to live with herself.
TWENTY-SEVEN
Morgan had tried to phone Theo yesterday, but there was no answer then resorted to Google where she’d been inundated with links to Bible study websites, so Ben had offered to accompany her to the vicarage, then they were going to visit the Riggs’ house and speak to Luke and his wife, Heather. She had done a search of the police systems to see if there was any intelligence on either of them, but had come up with nothing, other than a criminal damage report for the family car having its wing mirror smashed off a couple of years ago. On paper they were the perfect family: Facebook was full of happy family photos, holidays, meals out, the usual stuff. Ava Rigg was a lot more tech savvy than her parents, who had their pages set to public so the whole world could see what they were doing. At least Ava was sensible, she didn’t want her parents to know what she was doing, assuming she even bothered with it. She was probably into TikTok and Instagram more, but Morgan wasn’t interested in Ava, who had a rock-solid alibi that had been confirmed by one of the PCSOs. She was interested in Luke and Heather.
‘Should I come with you?’
She smiled and shook her head. ‘No need, he might not be in anyway.’
